Food Allergen Management for Georgia Restaurants
Reduce risk and protect guests with a proactive allergen program that meets Georgia Food Code Chapter 511-6-1 requirements. This guide covers major allergens, labeling rules, cross-contact controls, staff training, and emergency response for food businesses statewide.
The Top 9 Major Allergens
Georgia adopts the FDA’s “Major 9” allergen list and requires clear disclosure when menu items contain any of them. Hidden sources—especially in Southern cuisine—surprise even seasoned chefs. Use this table as a quick reference.
| Allergen | Common GA Menu Sources | Disclosure Cue |
|---|---|---|
| Peanuts | Boiled peanuts, peanut brittle, peanut oil in fryers, peanut-based sauces | Flag “contains peanuts”; train staff that peanut oil is not always refined |
| Tree Nuts | Pecan pie, praline toppings, almond extract in cakes, walnut salad crunch | Specify the exact nut (e.g., “contains pecans”) |
| Milk | Buttermilk biscuits, pimento-cheese dip, cream-based grits | Offer dairy-free swaps and label clearly |
| Eggs | Custard pie, mayonnaise-based slaws, house-made aioli | Mark dishes that use raw or lightly cooked egg |
| Fish | Catfish fry, anchovy in Caesar dressing, fish sauce marinades | Call out species (e.g., catfish, tilapia) on menu |
| Crustacean Shellfish | Shrimp & grits, low-country boil, crawfish étouffée | Use separate fryers; note “contains shellfish” |
| Soy | Soy sauce in marinades, tofu bowls, soybean oil blends | Highlight fermented soy products |
| Wheat | Biscuits, fried chicken breading, roux-thickened sauces | Keep gluten-free prep stations separate |
| Sesame New 2025 | Sesame seed buns, tahini dressing, benne wafers | Required on labels since Jan 2025 |
Georgia Menu & Package Labeling Rules
- Allergen declaration must be in plain language directly next to the food name or in a footnote.
- For packaged foods, list allergens in the ingredient statement or after with “Contains ______”.
- Splash menus with icons only if a written key explains each symbol.
- Sesame joined the major allergen list in 2025—update printed menus and online ordering descriptions immediately.
- Verbal disclosure alone does not satisfy GA labeling requirements for dine-in establishments.
Need a ready-made label template? Visit our Georgia allergen labeling guide.
Preventing Cross-Contact in a Busy Kitchen
Cross-contact—not cross-contamination—is the leading cause of accidental allergen exposure in restaurants. Adopt these strategies:
- Color-coded equipment: Reserve green boards for produce, purple for allergen-free prep, and red for shellfish.
- Dedicated prep zones: Use physical barriers or schedule allergen-free prep first thing each morning.
- Fryer protocol: Never fry gluten-free french fries in oil that previously held breaded chicken.
- Six-step sanitation loop: scrape → wash → rinse → sanitize → air-dry → verify.
Georgia DPH data shows 1 in 5 kitchens still operate without a written allergen plan—leading to average fines of $550 per inspection.
Staff Training & Compliance Checklist
15-Minute Pre-Shift Drill
- Review today’s specials for allergen content.
- Locate color-coded utensils and verify cleanliness.
- Quiz staff: “Which fryer is gluten-free today?”
- Practice verbal confirmation: repeat customer’s allergen back to them.
- Update the Epi-Location Reminder below.
- Post Major 9 list at prep table
- Use purple tools for allergen-free dishes
- Double-wash shared utensils
- Label sauces & dressings
- Log training completion daily
Emergency Response Plan
- Recognize: Watch for hives, swelling, wheezing, or guest stating “allergic reaction.”
- Respond: Retrieve epinephrine and administer per training; call 911 immediately.
- Record: Document time, symptoms, and actions in incident log; notify management and health department if required.
Real-World Scenarios
Case 1: Mislabeling a Low-Country Boil
What Went Wrong: Menu listed “Crab Boil” but failed to mention shrimp.
Outcome: Guest with crustacean allergy hospitalized; $3,800 settlement plus DPH fine.
Fix: Update menu descriptions, retrain servers to confirm ingredients, cite GA Food Code 511-6-1-.03(3).
Case 2: Cross-Contact in the Fryer
What Went Wrong: Gluten-free fries cooked in shared oil after breaded catfish.
Outcome: Inspection score dropped 18 points; mandatory re-inspection fee.
Fix: Dedicate a fryer or switch oil after breaded items; log fryer usage.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Verification Logs & Continuous Improvement
Georgia environmental health officers no longer accept a “set it and forget it” approach to allergen control. They expect managers to prove daily that controls work and that missteps trigger fast corrections. A concise verification log converts good intentions into defensible evidence. Keep the sheet simple—date, station, checkpoint, variance, corrective action—and have staff initial each line. Rotate binders weekly so pages stay legible.
Pair the physical log with a quick digital backup. Snap a photo of completed pages and save them to a cloud folder sorted by month. If an inspector misplaces a sheet, you can retrieve it on your phone within seconds. For labeling accuracy, cross-check your daily entries against the guidance in our allergen labeling requirements page. When sanitizer PPM drifts outside target ranges, document the variance and instantly recalculate strength with our sanitizer concentration calculator.
- “3 Feb 2025 – Prep station: Peanut-free knife stored with general knives. Corrective action: removed, re-wash, retrain prep cook.”
- “10 Feb 2025 – Dessert line: Purple scoop missing. Corrective action: located spare, logged inventory check, manager signature.”
Give the log a purpose beyond compliance by scoring each week green, yellow, or red. Aim for at least 90 % green checkpoints. Post the color dashboard near the time clock so every employee sees progress in real time. Gamifying performance nudges crews to hit targets without heavy policing and provides analytics for your annual insurance review—brokers often reward documented risk reduction.